Beyond the Shadows

by Dixie Carlton

Penny and Erik live on opposite sides of the world, met once very briefly and have enjoyed a growing friendship online for a couple of years. One day Erik invites Penny to meet him in Italy for a romantic interlude - with rules! Under the magic moon in Sorrento, they find their way to each other's hearts, but both have been hurt before, and there's a lot at stake, particularly the risk of ruining a good friendship if things don't work out. But the mysterious Helena is watching from the sidelines, and has other plans for the couple. Her past role in Erik's life has far reaching consequences and her jealousy grows as she learns how hard it really is to control her former lover. Journey from Romantic moonlit Italy, to starry velvet skies in Fiji, and find out what's really beyond the shadows as Penny and Erik finally uncover the truth of their relationship in windswept Cornwall. And does a long distance relationship with special rules really have a chance of long term success?*** she waited for the elevator, Penny tapped her foot impatiently, thinking how much she’d actually like to use that foot to kick something instead. Or someone! Of all the frustrating, stupid, annoying…. Ooh! The doors parted and she stepped into the empty metal box and pressed the button for her floor. The doors were nearly closed when Erik’s hand slid in between them causing them to open and allow his entry. “Wait, I’m sorry. I just…” He took a step towards Penny and she raised her hands in a warning to stay back. The look on her face assured him that it was in his best interests to do so. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Penny hissed angrily. Then defying her own words, she turned on him and let go all the bottled up words she’d been processing inside for the past few days. “I don’t understand you at all. You agree to this holiday, chose a lovely romantic setting for us to maybe take our friendship further – as we’d both discussed, so no surprises there – and then proceed to blow all hot and cold. One minute you are warm and friendly and then as soon as anything gets too relaxed you back off and go all cold and prickly. I don’t know if you like me or loathe me. You certainly are terrible at making a woman feel attractive! I might as well be wearing sacks and roman sandals for the ways you look at me.”

247 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2017

About the author

Dixie Maria Carlton has been a renowned business book author and an invaluable resource for authors worldwide since 2004. Her award-winning expertise in business and authorship has led to many of her clients becoming multi-award winners and receiving widespread recognition for their brands and stories. Dixie provides unique publishing and marketing services specializing in non-fiction writing. In addition to business and marketing, she also writes about self-publishing and various topics on life and its unusual quirks.

Dixie's fiction titles primarily revolve around the biographies or stories of real people who have inspired her. By presenting them as fiction, Dixie can delve deeply into the reasons behind their behaviors and personalities. Her novels are famous for being well-paced page-turners with engaging sexual and dramatic contexts.